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The Way the Ball Bounces
The Way the Ball Bounces is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season in this television sitcom on Family Matters, which was aired from ABC on January 22, 1993. It was directed by Jeffrey Gantz and written by Stephen Langford. Plot Eddie and Laura both learn lessons in education and sleep. In Eddie's case, he is wooed by a slick-talking college recruiter, who wants him only for his basketball skills and not his meager academic credentials. In order to teach him that education is more important than sports, Harriette invites a college student working at a grocery store to explain the dangers of putting basketball over education. Meanwhile, a sleep famished Laura enlists Urkel to cover as her so she can go to the library to study for the PSAT and later learns just how important sleep is. Synopsis Laura covets an opportunity to get into her dream college, Harvard. So much so she decides she must study like crazy to get an SAT score high enough to meet the college's entrance standards. So much so she foregoes sleep to study for the SATs, despite Carl's warnings about the consequences. Laura's lack of sleep begin to take its toll on her appearance, attitude and health. Carl demands she stay home and at least take a nap before resuming her cram session. Refusing to listen, she tries to get Urkel to take her place in bed, while she goes to the library. Steve initially refuses and reminds her that being in her room without permission is a direct violation to Carl's house rules. She manages to convince him to pose as her in bed while she saunters off to the library to study. Carl comes in to have a heart-to-heart talk with Laura, unaware that Steve is lurking beneath the covers. He manages to fool Carl by disguising his voice and somehow keeps his cover when he asks Carl to close his eyes before giving his "daughter" a peck on the cheek. While all this is going on, Eddie is gung-ho on wanting to get into Illinois Occidental University ... IOU! A college recruiter wants Eddie because of his basketball skills and not his meager academic credits. But what about IOU's academic program. Well, never mind that, the college recruiter doesn't even mention this, even when Harriette asks about it. She soon grows concern while Eddie and Carl is impressed with the college and its basketball program. In order to teach Eddie about the consequences of putting a basketball career over education, Harriette recruits a grocery bagger named Sam who had gotten into IOU on an athletic scholarship. He tells both Eddie and Carl that things went well for him until he suffered a career-ending injury. Then, everyone who was his friend suddenly turned on Sam and when he was unable to keep up with the school's academic requirements, he dropped out. The only job he could find was at the local supermarket. Sam says he's now working on a college degree but regretted his earlier decision in not putting education over sports. While Eddie is enlightened by this, Carl also realizes his mistake in putting sports ahead of an education and is remorseful for it. To avoid the same fate, Eddie decides to put his eduacation before a basketball career. This makes Harriette proud of him and is thankful that Sam talked some sense into Eddie about the pitfalls of having a basketball career over an education and made him realize the same fate could befall on him. As he leaves to play a little one-on one with Sam, a dishelveled Laura returns home from the library. Carl points out that she was supposed to be taking a nap but she babbles out an explanation that she can't remember the atomic weight of titanium. Laura fears she'll flunk the SATs and will never get into Harvard. Carl and Harriette comforts her and tell her it is not necessary to put so much pressure on herself. They tell her that once she gets some sleep, she'll be refreshed and no matter what score she gets, they'll still support her. Laura is finally convinced to get some sleep and stop putting pressure on herself. While Carl and Harriette talk about the academic directions their children are taking, he suspects something awry. He had just spoken to Laura, who came back from the library. Wasn't she in her room just a few moments earlier taking a nap. He soon puts it together when he learns it was Steve under the covers and chases after him. During the end credits, Urkel attempts to kiss her, but Laura warns him not to think about it. Then, an enraged Carl enters the house and chases after him for fooling him in Laura's bedroom. Cast Main * Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Winslow * Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow * Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle Winslow * Darius McCrary as Eddie Winslow * Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Winslow * Jaimee Foxworth as Judy Winslow * Bryton James as Richie Crawford * Jaleel White as Steve Urkel * Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford * Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo Guest * Christopher B. Duncan as Sam the Slam * Jack Reilly as Wayne Gallery The Way the Ball Bounces.png Trivia *This is the first episode that Laura suffers from lack of sleep. This would later be repeated in Money out the Window. *After the incident in Surely You Joust, Urkel gained maturity in respecting Carl's house rules. *This episode marked the first time Carl learned a hard lesson in encouraging Eddie to pursue a sports career over education *This marks the 2nd time that Eddie reconsidered his career. The first time was in Boxcar Blues and the last time in Breaking Up Is Hard to Do Quotes Category:Episodes Category:Season Four episodes Category:Season Four